YOU CAN'T HURRY GOD!!!
Today, we live in a time in which everything is supposed to be fast--if not instantaneous. We have microwaves, convection ovens, cellular phones (we can't possibly wait until we get home, to make that "important" call!), the left lane of the highway is used for driving--rather than passing, and we live in a push-button society. Believe this, when we push the button, we EXPECT something to happen--NOW!!! This isn't really a criticism, as much as it is an observation. I want it NOW, too. We just hate delays! Notice how people drive; they weave in and out of traffic, putting lives (including their own) in jeopardy, only to rush to a red light. We can be a little silly in our efforts to speed everything up.
This "Hurry-Up Mentality", has spread everywhere--including our churches, and into the spiritual lives of the people of God. We are results-focused, and we dismiss the blessings of the process. We may think about it--once it's over; but while we are going through--our whole focus is on getting out, quickly (Remember the ten lepers that Jesus healed? There are two lessons here: first, they were cleansed, "as they went"--not as soon as they encountered Jesus; secondly, all but one, were in such a hurry, that they forgot to give thanks. [Luke 17:12-19]) Everything in our spiritual walk, is not supposed to be instant. That's why we need faith. With faith in God, we can stand, in the midst of the storm, and not fall. If everything we desire, comes to us instantly--and without effort, then we have no need for faith.
There is a place for instant healing--sometimes it happens that way. However, the miracle isn't in the fact that it happens instantly--the miracle is the healing, itself, however it occurs. Even if the healing happens over a period of time, God remains omnipotent, and He made it happen, for us. When we are "saved", we aren't fully grown, fully delivered children of God. We are children of God, immediately, but the process of sanctification is just beginning. We have to learn Him, and learn His ways. We have to learn how to give up our way and our errant will, to follow Him. That doesn't happen overnight--nor is it the same for everyone. Some of us, have been saved for fifty years and haven't overcome things that others can overcome, in a year. A lot of things contribute to this difference--our personality, our devotion, and our will (or our ability to give up our will, in exchange for the will of God).
This is war. We have to learn the enemy's strategy. We have to learn that he isn't all-powerful, and that the only control he has over us--we give him. We get so wrapped up in results, that we try to fight our enemy, ill-equipped. It takes time to get comfortable with your armor. We don't learn how to use it, overnight. In the process, we lose some battles, but shouldn't give up or become disheartened--those are just battles and skirmishes, to distract us. Don't lose sight of the big picture--the war; we have it won for us, already! So, my friend, "be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God, And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people)" (Ephesians 6:10-18 [TAB]). That doesn't happen, immediately. In fact, many who have been in church and "saved" haven't mastered this. The first step is developing your relationship with God--who arms us. The next step is developing your relationships with God's people, who are in the battle with us.
In order to win the battle and find spiritual success, we must surrender our will and abandon our way. We have to trade it all in, for God's purpose and plan. Losing your will, takes time and effort--it isn't easy.
Most of us have knowledge, you can get knowledge by reading books. Applying knowledge, requires wisdom--that comes from God. As we pray for wisdom, we have to recognize that God doesn't drop it from the sky on us, all at once (if He did, we couldn't handle it). Wisdom is acquired through prayer, consecration and study of the Word of God. That is why many knowledgeable people lack wisdom. They hold on so tightly to their own knowledge, which is faulty, at best--that they miss the prize of true wisdom--and God. Remember what the Word tells us about knowledge and wisdom--and the difference. "For the story and message of the cross is sheer absurdity and folly to those who are perishing and on their way to perdition, but to us who are being saved it is the [manifestation of] the power of God. For it is written, I will baffle and render useless and destroy the learning of the learned and the philosophy of the philosophers and the cleverness of the clever and the discernment of the discerning; I will frustrate and nullify [them] and bring [them] to nothing. Where is the wise man (the philosopher)? Where is the scribe (the scholar)? Where is the investigator (the logician, the debater) of this present time and age? Has not God shown up the nonsense and the folly of this world's wisdom? For when the world with all its earthly wisdom failed to perceive and recognize and know God by means of its own philosophy, God in His wisdom was pleased through the foolishness of preaching [salvation, procured by Christ and to be had through Him], to save those who believed (who clung to and trusted in and relied on Him)" (1 Corinthians 1:18-21[TAB]). We have to get to know God--not just know about Him. That requires relationship--and all relationships, require time and effort. But it's okay, because to know Him, is to love Him. Relationship with God, changes every aspect of our lives, too.
As we relate to (and with God), we learn how to relate to one another. It takes time! There are people, in our lives, who challenge us and our walk with God. We should be grateful for those people--they help to mold us into the vessel that pleases God. Those people that rub us the wrong way, rub us into submission to His will--not our own. We tend to want to avenge ourselves, but in dealing with them, eventually (not immediately!) we learn that it is God Who judges and avenges. We are required to love, to forgive and to forbear. When our relationships are fractured, we want those to be fixed instantly, too. It is uncomfortable to be at odds with our brothers and sisters, in the Body of Christ, but that is a process. We can only "fix" ourselves (and we can't really do that--God does it, as we learn to submit our will to His), not others--so no matter how well-behaved, longsuffering, and loving we may be--not everyone has reached that place, in God. Be patient, though, someone had to be patient with your shortcomings--still has to, in fact.
It is wonderful when God heals us, or our situations, instantly; but usually, it is a process. The "mess" of our lives, didn't happen overnight, so understand, that getting out of the mess, will take time, too. We have to learn new ways to live and walk, in order to be free of those things that "easily beset us". Really, if you think about it--process is valuable. Going through, causes us to appreciate our blessings--and to appreciate the God Who provides them. When things come so easily and quickly, it is easy to walk away, and forget to be grateful. When we are tried and tested--and then established and settled, we have an appreciation, and a patience for those who haven't gotten there, just yet.
There is purpose in the process! Don't be in such a rush. Stand. You can't hurry God, anyway. He has a time and a plan for our lives--and He knows what is best for us. He knows what it takes to make us. We want revival, in our churches, but we don't want to take the steps, to experience revival, so we go from project to project, program to program--all without true revival. The revival must begin in us--in our hearts. To experience revival, we have to start at the beginning--with the first commandment--LOVE. Love is not just what you say--it isn't even just what you "do". Love exceeds and goes above and beyond. Love is how we relate to God and to others. Love forgives, love overlooks faults, love speaks well of others, it isn't full of selfish pride. It doesn't cause hurt or harm, it doesn't lie or gossip. Love is persistent. Love covers.
Let's abandon our plan for revival and start at the beginning--with love. If we love (as Christ loves), they will come. Slow down! Put your programs on the back burner, and stop focusing on results--and accept the process. Growth is a process. Learning to love is a process.
It takes trial to learn how to love. It takes willingness to the process, to get rid of bad habits and attitudes. Be submissive to the process--don't settle for the quick version. You can't hurry God, so submit to the process.
STEP 1: L-O-V-E. (Don't worry about step 2. When you grasp step 1, step 2 will come, naturally).
"IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody). Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing. Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]. For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect)." (1 Corinthians 1-9 [TAB]).
Love & Abundant Blessings,
Lisa
This "Hurry-Up Mentality", has spread everywhere--including our churches, and into the spiritual lives of the people of God. We are results-focused, and we dismiss the blessings of the process. We may think about it--once it's over; but while we are going through--our whole focus is on getting out, quickly (Remember the ten lepers that Jesus healed? There are two lessons here: first, they were cleansed, "as they went"--not as soon as they encountered Jesus; secondly, all but one, were in such a hurry, that they forgot to give thanks. [Luke 17:12-19]) Everything in our spiritual walk, is not supposed to be instant. That's why we need faith. With faith in God, we can stand, in the midst of the storm, and not fall. If everything we desire, comes to us instantly--and without effort, then we have no need for faith.
There is a place for instant healing--sometimes it happens that way. However, the miracle isn't in the fact that it happens instantly--the miracle is the healing, itself, however it occurs. Even if the healing happens over a period of time, God remains omnipotent, and He made it happen, for us. When we are "saved", we aren't fully grown, fully delivered children of God. We are children of God, immediately, but the process of sanctification is just beginning. We have to learn Him, and learn His ways. We have to learn how to give up our way and our errant will, to follow Him. That doesn't happen overnight--nor is it the same for everyone. Some of us, have been saved for fifty years and haven't overcome things that others can overcome, in a year. A lot of things contribute to this difference--our personality, our devotion, and our will (or our ability to give up our will, in exchange for the will of God).
This is war. We have to learn the enemy's strategy. We have to learn that he isn't all-powerful, and that the only control he has over us--we give him. We get so wrapped up in results, that we try to fight our enemy, ill-equipped. It takes time to get comfortable with your armor. We don't learn how to use it, overnight. In the process, we lose some battles, but shouldn't give up or become disheartened--those are just battles and skirmishes, to distract us. Don't lose sight of the big picture--the war; we have it won for us, already! So, my friend, "be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God, And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people)" (Ephesians 6:10-18 [TAB]). That doesn't happen, immediately. In fact, many who have been in church and "saved" haven't mastered this. The first step is developing your relationship with God--who arms us. The next step is developing your relationships with God's people, who are in the battle with us.
In order to win the battle and find spiritual success, we must surrender our will and abandon our way. We have to trade it all in, for God's purpose and plan. Losing your will, takes time and effort--it isn't easy.
Most of us have knowledge, you can get knowledge by reading books. Applying knowledge, requires wisdom--that comes from God. As we pray for wisdom, we have to recognize that God doesn't drop it from the sky on us, all at once (if He did, we couldn't handle it). Wisdom is acquired through prayer, consecration and study of the Word of God. That is why many knowledgeable people lack wisdom. They hold on so tightly to their own knowledge, which is faulty, at best--that they miss the prize of true wisdom--and God. Remember what the Word tells us about knowledge and wisdom--and the difference. "For the story and message of the cross is sheer absurdity and folly to those who are perishing and on their way to perdition, but to us who are being saved it is the [manifestation of] the power of God. For it is written, I will baffle and render useless and destroy the learning of the learned and the philosophy of the philosophers and the cleverness of the clever and the discernment of the discerning; I will frustrate and nullify [them] and bring [them] to nothing. Where is the wise man (the philosopher)? Where is the scribe (the scholar)? Where is the investigator (the logician, the debater) of this present time and age? Has not God shown up the nonsense and the folly of this world's wisdom? For when the world with all its earthly wisdom failed to perceive and recognize and know God by means of its own philosophy, God in His wisdom was pleased through the foolishness of preaching [salvation, procured by Christ and to be had through Him], to save those who believed (who clung to and trusted in and relied on Him)" (1 Corinthians 1:18-21[TAB]). We have to get to know God--not just know about Him. That requires relationship--and all relationships, require time and effort. But it's okay, because to know Him, is to love Him. Relationship with God, changes every aspect of our lives, too.
As we relate to (and with God), we learn how to relate to one another. It takes time! There are people, in our lives, who challenge us and our walk with God. We should be grateful for those people--they help to mold us into the vessel that pleases God. Those people that rub us the wrong way, rub us into submission to His will--not our own. We tend to want to avenge ourselves, but in dealing with them, eventually (not immediately!) we learn that it is God Who judges and avenges. We are required to love, to forgive and to forbear. When our relationships are fractured, we want those to be fixed instantly, too. It is uncomfortable to be at odds with our brothers and sisters, in the Body of Christ, but that is a process. We can only "fix" ourselves (and we can't really do that--God does it, as we learn to submit our will to His), not others--so no matter how well-behaved, longsuffering, and loving we may be--not everyone has reached that place, in God. Be patient, though, someone had to be patient with your shortcomings--still has to, in fact.
It is wonderful when God heals us, or our situations, instantly; but usually, it is a process. The "mess" of our lives, didn't happen overnight, so understand, that getting out of the mess, will take time, too. We have to learn new ways to live and walk, in order to be free of those things that "easily beset us". Really, if you think about it--process is valuable. Going through, causes us to appreciate our blessings--and to appreciate the God Who provides them. When things come so easily and quickly, it is easy to walk away, and forget to be grateful. When we are tried and tested--and then established and settled, we have an appreciation, and a patience for those who haven't gotten there, just yet.
There is purpose in the process! Don't be in such a rush. Stand. You can't hurry God, anyway. He has a time and a plan for our lives--and He knows what is best for us. He knows what it takes to make us. We want revival, in our churches, but we don't want to take the steps, to experience revival, so we go from project to project, program to program--all without true revival. The revival must begin in us--in our hearts. To experience revival, we have to start at the beginning--with the first commandment--LOVE. Love is not just what you say--it isn't even just what you "do". Love exceeds and goes above and beyond. Love is how we relate to God and to others. Love forgives, love overlooks faults, love speaks well of others, it isn't full of selfish pride. It doesn't cause hurt or harm, it doesn't lie or gossip. Love is persistent. Love covers.
Let's abandon our plan for revival and start at the beginning--with love. If we love (as Christ loves), they will come. Slow down! Put your programs on the back burner, and stop focusing on results--and accept the process. Growth is a process. Learning to love is a process.
It takes trial to learn how to love. It takes willingness to the process, to get rid of bad habits and attitudes. Be submissive to the process--don't settle for the quick version. You can't hurry God, so submit to the process.
STEP 1: L-O-V-E. (Don't worry about step 2. When you grasp step 1, step 2 will come, naturally).
"IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody). Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing. Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]. For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect)." (1 Corinthians 1-9 [TAB]).
Love & Abundant Blessings,
Lisa
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